


Too Little, Too Late

by cosmicrxys



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Character Death, Grief, M/M, Not beta-read, Spoilers for IT chapter two, not a fix it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 11:55:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21136310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmicrxys/pseuds/cosmicrxys
Summary: Alternate Ending to IT: Chapter 2. It’s not a fix it, but an ‘I’m making this so much worse’ as I like to call it.I posted this to my amino earlier.





	Too Little, Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> so this is my first fanfic I have written in about four to five years.

As soon as Richie was dropped from the deadlights, Eddie couldn’t help but push himself over to the other man. His legs were trembling, weak from fear, but he ignored the mild ache that followed to lunge over to Richie while the clown choked and sputtered, eventually collapsing back into a motionless heap. Eddie let out a cheer in response, absolutely thrilled that he had somehow put an end to this horrific creature.

He eventually managed to make his way through the rocky chasm to his friends side, leaning over him and grabbing hold of his shoulders. His knees were at either side of Richies hips and he began shaking the trashmouth lightly to somehow bring him back from whatever world the deadlights had sent him to.

“Yeah, there he is buddy!” He exclaimed as Richie’s eyes opened. The other seemed so dazed - so confused. Yet again, anyone would be after coming back from something that was so fucking weird and supernatural. He was just glad to see Richie’s eyes open again.

“Hey, Richie, listen, I think I got it man! I think I killed it-” Eddie was just about to finish his sentence when Richie seemed to lunge up and tuck Eddie close to him before flipping over. That’s when Eddie saw it — what would have hit him. A large white claw, sharp as a dagger was protruding from Richie’s chest, as deep red blood spilled from his lips.

“Richie!” The scream tore from his lungs as he stared up into Richie’s eyes, filled with pain, but something else — Joy. Joy that he had been the one to save Eddie after seeing such an image in the deadlights. It was an act that, in turn, traded Eddies life for another. Richie couldn’t help but smile, knowing Eddie would be able to live a long life, be it with or without him.

“Eddie.” Richie muttered, just once before being tugged into the air. The pain was excruciating, being tossed around like a rag doll. He kept staring at his wound, figuring it was les painful than looking at his friends faces. He could hear their screams, so loud and agonising as he was launched into another smaller chasm. Hearing Eddies screams were the most painful to him. He didn’t like hearing Eddie upset. He hadn’t since they were little.

When he hit the ground, he was tossed down some more rocks. He glanced to his chest, just seeing a faint blur of blood and gashes. He must have lost his glasses somewhere in that scuffle, so he just laid there, unable to do much. He soon felt arms, hands, legs all around him or pressing against him, eventually helping him up against a rock.

He groaned in pain, and managed to make out the silhouette of the others. He couldn’t tell much due to the poor lighting, but could see Eddies jacket closest to him. He glanced up and squinted a little, just managing to see his face.

“Little close there Ed’s.” He managed to choke out, chuckling and then sputtering, blood coming out in small bursts. Eddie tugged off his jacket, pressing it against Richies wound. “Okay, so apply pressure, and then we get you to a hospital and...” Eddie began to list a criteria of what he had to do to help Richie, but the others faces dropped, including Richie’s. He knew he was going to die. He was pretty sure Eddie knew too, but he didn’t want to believe it.

Eddie mumbled to himself, his mouth going a mile a minute as he mumbled something about ‘making it smaller’. Before Richie could make a joke, they all caught on to how they could defeat it — make him smaller.

Before he could protest, Eddie lifted Richie up alongside Mike and took him along with them, despite his wound. They eventually found a place to settle the bleeding comedian, and the others rushed off to finally defeat Pennywise. Eddie couldn’t bring himself to leave Richie though, so he stayed by his side, grasping his hand tightly.

“Hey, Eds. I...” He went to speak, but was interrupted by another cough. He looked back up at the other loser, and despite losing his glasses, could tell he was crying, “Ed’s, do me a favour. Go to the kissing bridge after all of this. There’s a carving for you there... fuck, you’ll know it when you see it.” He managed to get out despite his pain.

“Rich, don’t.”

“Don’t What?”

“Act like this is the end. I’m gonna get you out of here, and you’re gonna get to a hospital and-“ Eddie was silenced by Richie’s hand coming over to cover his mouth.

“Eddie, we both know that I’m not gonna make it that far... so just promise me you will.” He traced his ring finger over Eddies knuckles. A choked sob escaped the other as he laced their fingers together. He didn’t want to come to terms with Richie’s death. He didn’t want him to die.

The screams and yells of the others snapped them both out of this moment. “They need you Ed’s. They really fucking need you.” Richie warned him, noticing the others. Eddie paused, unsure if this was right, to leave Richie behind. He quickly composed himself and began to pull himself up to help the others.

“Hey, Ed’s.” Richie’s voice interrupted him. Eddie turned towards him and he felt himself get pulled forward by Richie. Their lips brushed, just for a moment, and as Eddie went to push a little harder, Richie tugged back.

“Kill it for real this time.” He smiled at him. Filled with new found hope, and more particularly rage, he nodded to Richie before making his way over to the others. He went forward, having picked up the old metal rod from before and bringing it down onto one of Pennywise arms, having that much brute force that it separated it entirely.

Eddie stood around with the others, just desperate to kill this thing in time to get back to Richie, to save him. After a brief encounter, and possibly the grossest thing he could ever see, it broke, shattered into hundreds of pieces that floated up into the air.

Eddie sighed in relief, but then quickly ignored everything else to rush back to Richie, who laid there with a smile on his face. “Rich, Rich! We did it! We fucking killed it man!” He had a grin spreading across his face, but it began to fade as he realised Richies expression wasn’t changing. He wasn’t moving either, Eddie couldn’t see the usual rise and fall of his chest. “Rich? Rich, please man, don’t go.” He whispered, holding onto his arm.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he almost elbowed Ben in response, not expecting such a gesture. His own eyes were filled with tears, as were the other losers.

“Eddie, he’s... he’s gone.” He whispered, voice breaking. The world around them began to crumble and break, parts falling and then rising up, floating once more. “We’ve got to go”

“No, no, Richie, he needs his glasses. He can’t see without his glasses, he needs his glasses.” Eddie whispered, eyes filling with tears. He shook his head, refusing to believe Richie was dead. Every feeling, every emotion he had around Richie had bubbled up into a massive pile of confusion. He was dazed, clinging onto Richie’s arm. He pulled the body in close to him, clinging onto him. “Guys please, help me find his glasses, he can’t see without his glasses.” He whispered. He felt arms loop around his, dragging him away from Richie. He still called out his name, his voice broken and hoarse.

He went through each stage which they had been through just an hour previous, when Richie was alive and okay. He just wished that Richie hadn’t saved him. They eventually got outside the Neibolt house, and heard the building crumbling from the inside, and finally from the outside.

“Richie! Richie!” Eddie screamed, eventually collapsing to the floor in broken sobs, unable to do anything. Richie was gone, and only then was when it hit Eddie. No wonder he was so unhappy with Myra — it was Richie the whole time. Since he was thirteen, he had loved him, and it only made him feel sick now to finally realise it. The others let him be, letting him cry for as long as he needed. They suggested heading down to the quarry, but Eddie got to his feet and shook his head. “I need to do something first.” He whispered and walked off alone.

He arrived at the place Richie had told him — the kissing bridge. He searched around for the carving. You’ll know it when you see it, what the fuck was that supposed to mean? Then he saw it and his whole world appeared to come crashing down. Old and worn, clearly from a long item ago, was a carving, big and bold: R + E. He walked over, his legs almost betraying him as he kneeled down and traced the carvings with his finger.

He cried, but this time with a small smile. This was Richie’s last wish, the one thing he wanted Eddie to see. He pulled his keys out of his pocket and held one between his fingers. He looked for some empty space, finding some on the bottom panel. Some room for something good. He carved, and carved until he was satisfied with a tiny memorial to his first love.

A tiny heart, with an R in the centre.


End file.
